[ESPN] MLB suspends spring training, delays Opening Day at least two weeks

Astros GM: More personnel test positive for COVID-19
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...onnel-test-positive-for-COVID-19-15384722.php
Rangers’ Brett Martin Tests Positive For COVID-19
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/07/rangers-brett-martin-tests-positive-for-covid-19.html
Indians: Delino DeShields Jr. tests positive for COVID-19
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29405507/indians-delino-deshields-jr-tests-positive-covid-19
Members of Red Sox test positive for COVID-19
https://www.wcvb.com/article/members-of-red-sox-test-positive-for-covid-19-team-confirms/33134383

 

Yes, personally I did read it. Incredibly stupid thing to say when there is little doubt the players are going to file a grievance. Yes, he tried to play it off as meaning with the rise in numbers wouldn’t let them, but he is the same guy who very recently offered 82 games but at less $$$ per game. I kinda think a lawyer can use that in their favor

I hope this pissed of a few owners if for no other reason than to help get him out of the game. He is terrible for the game but in the end he works for the owners, we need owners to turn on him and get him out, I find it very hard to believe we will see a full baseball season before 2023 if he leads the negotiations for the owners

 

His very first sentence in the response was "We're playing sixty games in sixty-three days. I don't see, given the reality of the health situation over the past few weeks, how we were going to get going any faster than the calendar we're on right now. "

He was clearly talking in context of the last offer - that's indicated by the 60 games in 63 days and there's no way to squeeze any more in given that. Nothing he said is going to be relevant in court. Any grievance will be based on evidence of real-time actions one way or another - not some out of context quote well after the process ended.

 

Tyler can suck a fat one

 

Go to page 124 of the off season thread. Aubrey Huff goes off on him.

 

He also said they were never going to play more than 60 games. It's not an important enough part of my life to take the time to look up that exact quote lol, but it certainly was something the owners in general with he wouldn't have said

 

just scrap the season already

 

It’s gonna be messed up when a player either dies or is in ICU and comes out with permanent lung damage.

We might get lucky and the worst is several dozen players spend some time in the hospital and the rosters are just in constant flux, but they’re able to get thru the season. But that’s a best case scenario and if I were a player, no way I’m showing up.

That said I think the country REALLY needs sports right now. I think the value sports provides as a distraction and source of common ground even if just for small talk was really misjudged.

Fact is, even though I have no interest in the NBA and baseball is the only pro sport I have followed the last 5 years, the best path for sports was probably for MLB to cancel, and to let the NBA have July and August to finish their season and the NFL to start up in September. The NBA (with fewer teams, fewer players on the field/court and smaller rosters) may be better able to prevent their players from getting Covid. And hopefully by September we’ve gotten handle on it with masks/testing/tracing, and there’s a treatment protocol that dramatically lowers the risk for football players. With the virus spreading like wildfire and 1800 players, it’s just a bad idea to try to have a season.

 

It's highly unlikely that any player suffers from it in a major way. It does happen, but it's very rare this virus hits a young healthy person hard to the point of ICU. Young people should not be personally scared of this.

Some of the elderly managers and clubhouse guys on the other hand, one of them dying is a very real possibility. They are the people we are wearing the masks for.

 

I wouldn’t go as far as saying young people shouldn’t be concerned. The ICU has plenty of young people and we do not know what (if any) the long term consequences are.

 

Dusty Baker is a huge risk... over 70... fat... diabetic... had had at least one stroke...

 

It’s not the most optimistic of signs that almost every team is finding some positives... and they haven’t really begun to play/practice regularly yet, or travel yet.

There will certainly be at least one player testing positive that will come down with severe symptoms. Young people aren’t dying from this... but there is plenty of numbers of previous healthy/young individuals that required intubation and ICU care when suffering from a severe case.

 

Dusty should not be in the dugout, and there are quite a few other people that are in that boat. If I were MLB I honestly would try to ban high risk people from the dugout outright to protect the brand. If somebody dies (very real chance) it is gonna be a really, really ugly PR issue.

As for the players, yes it does happen, but I think this is very overhyped in that regard. Young people are particularly reckless and stupid so it's natural they are far more likely to contract it, but the vast majority of them will not have a major issue. Maybe I'll look like an idiot and this will have some horrifying long term effects, but if everybody had the same prognosis I, or the players would likely have, I wouldn't give this virus a second thought.

Has there been a notable athlete that has developed severe ICU level symptoms yet? We've had quite a few cases at this point.

 

To be fair, team sport athletes haven’t had to be with their teams or in hotels or travel thus far.

They are getting the virus, without necessarily being “young and reckless”. How that virus behaves on that person is highly dependent on their immune systems. While young people tend to have better immune systems, and while athletes tend to have better reserves in terms of lung capacity and top notch cardio conditioning, it’s still statistically relevant in a workforce of over 1000 players that at least one will have a bad case if they get it.

not talking about death or serious long term effects... can’t really extrapolate long term effects on a virus that has been here less than 6 months.

 

The very last thing in the world the Houston Astros need is for Baker to die from coronavirus this year. If I were Jim Crane there is no way in hell I would let anyone over 60 years old near the dugout this season. I would take the PR hit for ageism or insincerity or whatever, there is just no way I would risk having somebody under my employ die when it’s so preventable.

 

"I want to play, but if there is an outbreak or something in the next couple weeks ....I might have to reconsider".

An outbreak or something? Where the f#ck has he been?

 

I think he’s referring to within the league, as teams are now all together.

David Price opting out. He can certainly afford to. The only Astros who are uber comfortable in career earnings are JV and Grienke. JV is playing... but wouldn’t be surprised to see Grienke pass on this year.

 

Congratulations!!

Wonder if the Cole family might have similar thoughts as Trout and his wife?

Crazy times for those that are expecting or just delivered. The Altuves are expecting their second daughter too.

 

#3 starter is down for the count with the Dodgers.